Francis De Vries: Auckland FC defender previews the A-League clash against Perth

Auckland FC coach Steve Corica is well aware of the potential history that beckons at Mt Smart this coming Sunday.  

No New Zealand team has lifted silverware in a major Australian league, but the Black Knights are on track to buck that trend by winning the A-League's Premiers Plate. 

Corica says a draw or win over Perth to snare the trophy would be a massive achievement, but the big prize is still to be won. 

Auckland FC defender Francis De Vries joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview Sunday's match up. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB eight seventeen.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get amongst some football for you. Now, what a year?
What a season for the A League for Auckland f C.
And they run away with the Premier year's plate. Wow,
we'll find out tomorrow evening. I'm joining us to talk
about that now is Francis Davrees. Good morning, Frank. I'm

(00:34):
looking forward to what you guys are going to provide,
that's for sure, and expect you are as well. But
don't think about the Premier Yeer's plate, right, That's got
to be the message.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, I mean we do tend to talk a lot
about focusing on the process of playing the kind of
football that we want to and giving a good show
to the fans, so those will be the thoughts foremost
in our minds to start off the game.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
It must be difficult, though it surely you must, ever
now that have a fleeting thoughts like silverware.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, I mean, of course, you know, like there is
an outcome attached to the process that we do, so
I guess it's just scaling it back in terms of
getting satisfaction from doing the right things on the field,
you know, action from making the right actions, like the
right tackles, the right passes, and then giving everyone a
good time because of those actions.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
You look at your progress so far throughout the year,
the consistency has got to be the big thing. You've
got to be really proud of what you've managed to do.
You've not really let it slip, have you? Maybe only
in a couple of games you've lost twice, haven't you?

Speaker 4 (01:43):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:44):
Correct, That's something that gives me and the rest of
the team immense satisfaction being consistent each week as a
hallmark of a team that works well together, and also
of players that are willing to show up and work
and have good character and be focused each and every week.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
So it's definitely something to be proud of.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Perth glory right at the bottom of the should be
easy meet. But you thought that before, didn't you? And
they rolled you? Do you look back to that game
much and go huh uh?

Speaker 3 (02:12):
I think that's definitely something that is on everyone's minds,
you know, like emotions are heavily attached to how you
remember football games, and when you lose, those.

Speaker 4 (02:21):
Emotions tend to be quite strong.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
So I don't think anyone's forgotten what happened in Perth,
and I think that we're also.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Learning as a team.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
There are no easy games in the A League, even
when we went away to Brisbane a couple of weeks
ago and we won those a really, really difficult game.

Speaker 4 (02:37):
So no matter where they are on.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
The table, I'm I'm pretty sure we'll prepare and come
to play the same way we have against all the
other teams.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Well, what's caracasy for, sus been on? What's the gap?
I been telling you.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
Very similar to this conversation.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
Continue to play our stuff, get prepared for playoffs, try
and do something special for the whole city, and yeah,
go out there and give it your best effort.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
The crowd's going to be mad, surely to be huge
and rather boisterous, i'd expect, and that's got to give
you any energy you've lost. It's all there for you.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
Yeah, for sure. You know it carries you during the game.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's hearing the noise when we go on a counter
attack or when someone makes a good tackle, and when
you walk out and everyone's buzzing and you're seeing people
you know and all these other people that you don't know,
but they're there to support you. That's an amazing feeling.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
What about your own form, Francis, where do you think
you need to lift your display? If anywhere? You must
be happy with what you're providing, but to move on,
where do you need to progress?

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, it's a constant thought on my mind on how
to improve each week. There's lots of small areas I'd
like to keep working on, and those are all related
to helping the team do better. So on the weekend,
you know, I'm hoping to bring good composer on the ball,
keeping the ball well with the other defenders and measures
and playing good forward progressive passes to give people opportunities

(04:07):
to attack higher up the field and then on the
other side of it defensively to you, you're always thinking
about doing your best as part of the back line
so that you know they the team can keep a
clean sheet. Alex has definitely saved us a few times,
so hopefully give him.

Speaker 4 (04:22):
A give him an easy day.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
But you know, trying to focus on staying committed and
staying consistent, like we talked about before, is definitely saying
that is on the forefront of my mind at the moment.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Why highlight real stuff watching Paulson save it from all
over the shake. I make him do a bit more worky.
He needs it when he moves to the big leagues
next season.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
Right, I'm pretty sure Alex is on a good path
to achieving his personal goals and then also, you know,
doing exceptionally well for us and whichever team he may
move to in the future.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
If you had any messages from Bill Folett, from the
boss Man, the man that bought the whole kitten kaboodle,
because he'd be astonishingly proud. Although he's got quite a
good track record, has he been in your video calls or.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
Anything like that.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
No, as like as a team as players, not really,
not that I know of. I think it's more communication
with the coaching staff or the people who work in
the offices, and that filters down to us. So I
think that's how it works. Maybe something will change before
this weekend too.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
We'll see. And if you do pick up the plate,
which you're not allowed to think about, but I'm going
to do it anyway, because we're the media and we're
really really annoying. I believe you haven't got a trophy
cabinet yet, so what are you going to do? Build
a pool room? Stick it in the sock draw. Who
is it going to go?

Speaker 4 (05:41):
That is not a question for me, mate.

Speaker 3 (05:43):
I have no handiwork building skills, so I will not
be contributing to building anything at Orkan f C.

Speaker 4 (05:49):
I'm sure they'll find someone else who's capable of doing that.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
All you're going to do, mate, is buy a pool table.
Stick it somewhere in the club and then you can
say straight to the pool room for your trophy.

Speaker 3 (05:58):
Hearing me, I pass on those recommendations to the people
who are making those decisions, and I'll beck you.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.